They took satisfaction and considered themselves validated when Brandon Sutter, Colton Gillies and Milan Lucic ran Cherepanov and the Canadians knocked out him out of the Summit Series in the summer of ’07. Cherepanov had a concussion. Sutter had his own diagnosis: “He’s a pretty soft player and when you hit him, he doesn’t like it.”

They said that he stayed in Russia instead of coming over to the NHL because the Summit Series put a scare into him. One account: “The alleged Russian star maybe never want to go anywhere near the New York Rangers, where [sic] he’ll have to face those big hitters in the NHL.”

At best, they’re xenophobic stereotypes. At worst, slander. Maybe they’ll be cleaned up in remembrances and tributes. Maybe they’ll be given an extra layer of veils.

The disheartening thing that comes off the Game 2 loss is that the Flames were at home and that they tried hard, and they still didn’t look all that better than they did in Game One or than they did last season.

In many ways, they looked the same, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Flames captain Jarome Iginla.

“There were many good things out there, but we obviously had some breakdowns,” he said. “Again.”

It’s that one-word, “again”, that seems to accurately size up the plight of the Flames in this early going.

Hockey takes a back seat to the big three sports in the country, but even more evidently here in the Northwest. Seattle sports fans might be surprised to find out that their very own Seattle Metropolitans won the first United States Stanley Cup back in 1917 in the Pacific Coast League. It’s the same city and region that has ignored and has been ignored by the NHL ever since….

The strong minor league hockey teams make one wonder why there has not been a professional hockey team here in the Northwest. Ironically, there is a “Northwest” division in the NHL, but it doesn’t include a team from the Northwest United States - with the closest United States team being the Colorado Avalanche – just 20 hours southeast.

So why is it that the Northwest United States is not getting any love from the NHL? I’m out to investigate this crime and find out the main factors that contribute to the lack of a professional hockey team in Seattle and surrounding regions.

“I’ve been rehabbing like crazy, and to be honest with you, it feels pretty good,” Hatcher said. “I had it drained and then shot up with cortisone and there’s been no fluid build-up since, and that’s the most important thing.”

Hatcher has said all along that his knee felt no worse than it did during the playoffs last spring. The Flyers’ doctors have not cleared him to play, but Hatcher is champing at the bit to get back.

“I still think I can play,” Hatcher said. “I’m not ready for it to be over yet. I still think I can get back and that remains my goal.”

Hollweg is about to receive his second suspension in a matter of weeks, a three-gamer this time for checking from behind, his favourite hockey play.

Let’s be clear. This oaf on skates doesn’t score goals, or set up plays, or generate a forecheck or even protect his teammates. Ever since he’s been in the league, he has been known as a player who does one of three things every time he’s on the ice:

1) Takes about 25 strides and charges an opponent.
2) Leaves his feet to hit an opponent.
3) Hits opponents from behind.

He’s a dangerous, dangerous hockey player, and for all the wrong reasons. Everybody knew it before he got here after his years of playing for the Rangers.